Notes: Hm. It's funny. I'm actually having a really good time writing this fic! I mean, I like writing, but I used to have to work really hard to get one chapter out a week. Now I've written two that are twice as long as my usual ones in the same amount of time. :) I think that it's because the characters of CCS play off of each other so well. I really have fun writing their dialogue!
I just hope that people are enjoying reading this as much as I'm enjoying writing it. I notice that I actually have a couple people reading it! That makes me so happy! So Arigatou to my readers! Thank you so much!
Reviewers:
Darkmidnightgoddess: Thank you so much for your review! I'd be lying if I said it didn't boost my ego just a smidge. ;) When are you going to write some stories so I can review yours? Hurry hurry! :)
ss-cherryblossom: I'll give it my best shot! You tell me if I screw up, ne? ;) I'll be heading over your way to review as soon as I get a chance! Arigatou!
I'm not sure what the Author Alert List thingie is, but I assume that means that you've read my story, so thanks fairieangel and Sylver Skye!
More Notes:
By the way, I really don't know anything about Japanese schooling so you may notice that many specifics are left...well, to your imagination.:)
And now...
Chapter 2: Sweeter Than Ice Cream
The three teenagers slowly made their way down the street towards the ice cream shop. Tomoyo and Li were engaged in a lively debate over the answer to the bonus question on the calculus test. Sakura had her blades thrown over her shoulder and was listening only half-heartedly to the conversation. She didn't really like calculus. She had to work hard at it because it had a tendency to go in one ear and right out the other. Of course, she had an A in the class, but only because of her stubbornness and refusal to give up.
Instead Sakura watched the people as she passed them. She liked to watch people and imagine what their lives were like. She watched a little boy teasing what had to be his little sister. They both had the same brown curls and both had ice cream cones. Whenever he could, the boy would reach over and grab a bite of his sister's cone. The little girl was getting more and more frustrated.
Sakura stopped to watch the drama unfold. She was sure that the little girl would either cry or run to her mom. It was kind of silly really. Her ice cream cone was too big for her anyway as she couldn't have been more than five. Sakura watched as the girl turned silent and her brow furrowed in thought. The next time her brother attempted to snag a bite, she took the rest of her cone and smashed it into his face with a peal of righteous laughter.
Combined with the look of astonishment on the little boy's face and the expression of triumph on his little sister's, Sakura couldn't help but giggle as well. It reminded her so much of herself and her own Onii-chan.
Meanwhile, Tomoyo and Li had realized that Sakura had fallen behind.
"Oi Kinomoto-baka!"
"Sakura-chan!"
Sakura turned and ran to catch up to them with a big grin on her face.
His breath caught in his throat as she ran towards them, her hair streaming out behind her, glinting red in the sunlight, a smile on her face. She looked so carefree...so happy. Stop it Li.
"Gomen!" she said as she got closer.
"Brain fade?" he asked.
Her eyes flashed at him in irritation. She opened her mouth to reply.
"Oh look! We're here!" Tomoyo interjected, grabbing Sakura's arm and hauling her over to the ice cream shop. Sakura's mouth snapped shut as she let herself be hauled into the shop. The little bell on the door tinkled as they entered, Li trailing behind.
"Wai!" Sakura exclaimed pointing to the sign that read Choco-Cherry. "Look Tomoyo-chan! They have my favorite!"
Li almost laughed out loud but settled for a smirk instead. Choco-Cherry? How predictable.
Sakura and Tomoyo placed their orders. Sakura got her Choco-Cherry cone and Tomoyo got vanilla. Li stepped up to the counter and placed his order.
"One scoop of Triple-Fudge-Chocolate-Chunk," he stated calmly. Turning around as he waited he caught sight of Sakura and Tomoyo staring wide eyed at him.
"Nani?" he asked.
Sakura looked at Tomoyo. "You know, it's fitting in a weird way, demo..." Tomoyo nodded in agreement.
Turning to him Sakura said, "Still, I never would have pinned you for a chocolate addict Li-kun." Tomoyo shook her head.
Li could feel himself flushing. "I've always liked chocolate," he mumbled then continued on more loudly, "There's a lot of stuff you don't know about me," he said looking directly at Sakura. She met his gaze squarely, almost curiously and his stomach twisted. There's so much you don't know.
"Sir, your cone," said the woman behind the counter.
"Gomen," he apologized for keeping the woman waiting and took the cone from her. "Arigatou."
"Tomoyo-chan, could you hold my ice cream while I get my wallet?" Sakura asked holding out her cone.
"Hai," Tomoyo replied taking the cone from her, "Demo...Li-kun."
"Nani?" Sakura wondered as she glanced up from rummaging through her purse. "Aaah! Li-kun! It's my treat remember?"
He shrugged as he handed the cashier the money. "It's no big deal."
"Demo..." Sakura frowned. Somehow it didn't seem right. She watched as he received the change. The woman at the cashier's hand lingered just a bit longer than normal on his and she smiled flirtatiously when he thanked her. But his face never changed an iota. Sakura sighed. Always the same Li-kun. So dense.
"Sakura-chan! Your ice cream...it's—" Tomoyo said hurriedly.
"Ah, gomen gomen!" Sakura said as she quickly stowed her wallet and grabbed the melting ice cream from Tomoyo along with a napkin to wipe up the Choco-Cherry drips from her friend's hand.
"Let's go sit at a booth," Tomoyo said.
"Hai," Sakura agreed. She looked to see if Li had heard but he was already headed for a booth in the back. He slid into one side and she and Tomoyo sat on the other.
What on earth is he thinking about? Sakura wondered to herself as she studied him from over the top of her ice cream cone. He sat on his side of the booth calmly licking his ice cream...which he was obviously enjoying and trying not to look like he was. How cute...urg. Bad Sakura! Bad! Frustrated with herself, she went back to eating her melting ice cream.
Demo...he is really handsome. She admitted to herself. He's got those kawaii brown eyes and his hair. She sighed. He has really nice hair. Always falling into his eyes. And he's pretty well-built too...ARGH! That's it! Resigning herself to not think at all, Sakura concentrated on making sure that none of her Choco-Cherry managed to drip over the side of her cone.
Li personally was in heaven. He loved chocolate, absolutely adored it. Of course, in his family men were supposed to be invincible and any addiction was seen as a weakness, so he only indulged when they weren't around, specifically when his male relatives weren't around. He remembered when he was seven and had come across his sisters' hidden stash. After careful contemplation, he had decided that the best course of action would be to take little tiny bits at a time so no one noticed because if they did he'd get in trouble and they'd change the hiding place. Those tiny pieces had fueled his addiction for a year until he'd moved to Japan to chase Cards. Then he'd bought chocolate pocky with his allowance every week.
Now, at age 17, he had a little more control over his craving...but not by much. He still had a little stash in his desk drawer of candy bars and chocolate pocky. Looking up he caught Sakura glancing at him curiously.
What the heck is she thinking about? Li wondered watching the interplay of emotions running across Sakura's face. He observed amusedly as she went dreamy eyed, then irritated, then dreamy eyed again, and sighed. Finally exasperation set in and she began eating her ice cream with lion-like ferocity. Okaaaay. Weird, he thought as he went back to eating his own ice cream.
Tomoyo watched both of them pretend not to watch each other and mentally sighed. They're so stubborn.
Sakura was the sister that she never had and Tomoyo loved her with all her heart. Sakura was the only person who didn't take advantage of her easygoing nature, the only person who managed to see through her polite exterior. They never argued, never gossiped, and never lied to each other. Sakura was her first true friend, one who stuck by her regardless. What Tomoyo wanted, more than anything, was to have her friend be happy and she had a hunch, that the key to that happiness was one sullen faced, chocolate craving, stubborn baka, Li Syaoran.
Tomoyo strengthened her resolve. Whatever it takes Sakura-chan! I'll do it!
"Tomoyo-chan, would you like to come for dinner at my house?" Sakura asked as they were walking back to her house.
"Hontou? Your father won't mind?"
"Ie. He's at another conference. He'll be back in two days. Onegai Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura begged.
"Hai! My mother will probably be working late again. I'll just call her cell phone and leave a message." Tomoyo flipped open her cell and punched in the number. While she called her mom, Sakura turned to Li.
"Li-kun?" she turned around and asked the brown-haired youth who was ambling along behind them with his hands in his pockets.
"Nani?"
"Do you want to come?" she repeated a bit impatiently.
He shrugged. That shrug irritated her. Why can't he just answer. What's with all the stupid shrugs?
"I wouldn't want to intrude," he said stopping her in her tracks as she turned to look back at him. Huh? she thought, surprised.
"Demo...demo, Li-kun, you never intrude!" she replied looking up at him seriously. "I mean, after all we went through when we were younger..." she trailed off for a second before plowing confidently forward, "You'll never be and outsider in my house. An annoyance, sure. A baka definitely. But never an intrusion." She smiled up at him and gently tugged his shirt sleeve, a commonplace gesture from their past.
He blushed just a little bit and Sakura released his sleeve with a grin. Oh how cute! I embarrassed him!
"So," she continued, "You wanna come or not?"
End Chapter 2
Notes: Weee! Two chapters done! I really have no idea how long this is going to be. It could be five chapters, or it could be twenty.
Again apologies for any misspellings.
By the way, a question posed to any readers I may have. Do you think the characterizations are accurate? Are they too variable? I kinda viewed the Sakura/Syaoran relationship as one that is intensely dynamic in both the love and irritation areas. What do you think? And another question, is this story believable at all? I'd like to think that it is...demo...I'm the author, so I'm slightly biased.
Thanks for reading!
